


in the nick of time

by growlery



Series: Summer Pornathon 2014 [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mutants, Community: summerpornathon, M/M, Team Gluttony, rogue/wolverine dynamic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 09:16:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2264163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/pseuds/growlery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Merlin is Rogue and Gwaine is Wolverine, and things happen not unlike how they do in canon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in the nick of time

**Author's Note:**

> for the summerpornathon challenge #7: senses!

It starts with a pub fight, as these things often do. It's a mutant pub, the closest thing to a regular Gwaine's had in, oh, years. He's got rather fond of the place, which is why when Dagr starts on the two men who've barely walked through the door, Gwaine gets to his feet, claws already extending, and jumps into the fray.

(And, yeah, the dark-haired man's cheekbones, and the way his eyes had lit on a smile when his friend spoke, might have something to do with it.)

In a lull in the fight, Gwaine retracts his claws to introduce himself.

"Merlin," is the reply, accompanied by a brisk, gloved handshake.

"Look out!" Merlin's friend hollers, and Gwaine doesn't even think, just throws Merlin behind him so Dagr's attack hits him square in the chest instead.

*

"You're lucky to be alive," Merlin tells him when he wakes, later, in what can only be Merlin's bed, and Gwaine tries not to be too distracted by that knowledge.

"Not lucky," he says, sitting up gingerly. Just because he can heal doesn't mean he can't feel pain. "Mutant."

"Oh," Merlin says. "So it's not just the-" He gestures at Gwaine's hands. Gwaine can't help but notice Merlin's still wearing gloves, even though the room is roasting. 

"It's sort of a package deal," Gwaine says, and even though it's fair game, now, doesn't ask about Merlin's mutation in return.

*

In a different pub in a completely different town, in the middle of a fight Gwaine mostly didn't start, a gloved hand grabs his upper arm and yanks him out.

"I guess that makes us even," Gwaine says, when they're sure nobody's on their tail. His arm is tingling where Merlin had wrapped his fingers around it, and Gwaine wonders what it would feel like if Merlin touched him with bare skin.

"Not quite," Merlin says, grimacing, "since I'm actually here to ask you a favour."

_Anything_ , Gwaine doesn't say, and hopes it doesn't show on his face. "Oh?"

"It's Arthur. He's in trouble."

*

They're sharing a tiny bed in a safe house on the edge of the city, and the proximity of Merlin's body is _intoxicating_ , even with the careful strip of space between them. It's enough to make Gwaine do something incredibly stupid, but in the end, it's Merlin who kisses him first. 

"Sorry," Merlin blurts, flattening himself against the headboard. "Are you okay? _Fuck_ , I'm so sorry."

Gwaine can feel his lips smarting, something heady rushing through his body. "Do that again," he says, hoarse. "Please?"

"I could've hurt you," Merlin says, and Gwaine has to laugh. 

"Trust me, that was the opposite of painful."

Merlin's face does something complicated. "If I touch someone for too long," he says, "I kill them. That's just how my ability works."

"Well, luckily for you," Gwaine says, "I'm pretty sure I'm indestructible. That's just how _my_ ability works."

"Not lucky," Merlin says, smiling for the first time since he found Gwaine again. "Mutant."

*

Gwaine gets a hand on the back of Merlin's neck, this time, stroking over the short hairs while he kisses Merlin back. Merlin's shed his gloves like a skin, and he skims bare fingers under Gwaine's shirt and over his belly. Gwaine gasps at the feeling it alights in him, and Merlin snatches his hand away. 

"No, no, _good_ ," Gwaine gets out. 

"You have to tell me," Merlin says fiercely. "As soon as it isn't, or whatever, just- tell me."

Gwaine just nods, straining up to catch Merlin's mouth again. Merlin's hand slips into Gwaine's boxers, curling sure and steady around Gwaine's dick, and Gwaine turns his head and keens into Merlin's neck. He comes like that, mouthing at Merlin's skin, Merlin coaxing pure pleasure out of him with perfect fingers. 

When Gwaine's head has cleared enough, he rolls over and grins. "Your turn."

*

"Told you," he says, after. Merlin's wearing his gloves again, and he's got his head resting on Gwaine's clothed chest, but they're curled up around each other, touching everywhere. "Indestructible."

Merlin lifts his head up, and the smile on his face makes Gwaine feel nearly as weak as his touch. "Yeah, okay," he says. "Save your gloating for tomorrow, after we've got Arthur back, okay?"

"Not gloating," Gwaine murmurs, but he's tired, and Arthur is in quite a bit of trouble, so he just closes his eyes and lets himself be taken by sleep.


End file.
